Author: Pantea Parsa

My project was an interactive picture frame that allows my grandma to communicate with grandchildren regardless of what they live. She can press the button above each person’s picture and an email will be send to them that tells them to call grandma.

Sorry for my mega late post update. This is my homework from last week as I’m still going through the new lessons.

Also, Here are my brainstorm. I am already having ideas about circuit and material proposals but going to work more intensively once I make sure about the project.

First one is a system that enables my grandmother to communicate with us, her grandchildren, from all over the world. She’s in her 80’s and have no idea how cellphone works and she always has to wait for us to call her. So, if there was a button right next to our picture that she could press when she misses one us, we will get a text or an email and call her. This is by far my favorite idea.

My second idea is about Pomodoro Method. I often put a timer on and try to focus on work but I get distracted and leave my desk, and usually remember it when the timer goes off. So, I want to design a timer that lights up to remind me that I’m supposed to work. Also, it has a motion sensor. So, when I leave, it sends me a message to remind me I should get back to my desk.

My third idea helps me to monitor how many cigarets I smoke and help me to reduce it. The box that contains cigarets will have a lock and every time I want to open it, it sends an email encouraging me not to smoke. Also, the lock won’t open until the 20th try.

first one is the witch costume. I think I might need to buy the dress and attach the puffy sleeves to it. My idea is to put blue(cold) lights inside the sleeves as well as on the rim of the hat in a way that it lights up my face. Here is the sketch:

I probably need to attach wire to the sleeves to make them look that way. The circuit will be pretty simple, I am trying to figure out a way to make it more interactive.

My next idea is to make a cupcake costume. It will be basically dress with a lot of puffy fabric( I thought about organza). The sprinkles are going to be the part that lights up and blinks. I would need a capsule shaped object to hold the LED inside. Here is my sketch:

My last idea and the most favorite one is costume that looks like a uterus. Here is the sketch:

I thought I can make it interactive by adding a touch sensor to it. when you touch it, a light pops up that says no uterus, no opinion( I know, a bit weird and excessive!:)) If the touch sensor makes it too complicated, I also thought of having string lights inside the tube that would constantly change color.

For tomorrow, I am hopping to make sure which direction I am going to, make the code work, possibly do the soldering or make my patterns for sewing. I postponed buying most of my material to when I picked my project.

I was inspired by dream catchers but wanted to make it more fun so I made a toy called “Monster Catcher” which is for kids who are afraid to sleep in their own room. The Monster Catcher hangs on the was and lights the room up.

Processed with VSCO with a6 preset

I used 6 yellow 5mm LEDs. I initially wanted to put lights in the arms and legs but decided to make it more simple. Here is a sketch for my circuit:

Frame was attached together with two screws that were hidden in the bottom and behind two plastic covers. I broke the antenna and there was a wire inside it. There was a boardband inside the case which has these components:

LAN and WAN ports which we can see from the outside and that’s where we plug it in. There was also a tiny switch that was the reset button. They were attached to the board and I couldn’t separate them.

Three Isolation transformers. I found out that they are used to transfer the electrical power from the source to the device in a way that protect us from electrical shock.

There are multiple elements that are responsible for power supply.

Chip AR7240 which is a Network Processor

Chip A3560ETP Which is a SDRAM

*Figure 4 and 5 were under a metal cover.

Chip AR9285 which is a wireless adapter and it’s under a metal cover

ON/OFF switch which is next to a LED

7 activity LEDs

What I found Interesting:

LAN and WAN ports were attached to the board by two plastic parts that were very small but the way they were designed made the ports very secure on the board.

Also, it was interesting how the actual switch was very small and simple but had a more complicated or more aesthetic figure on the exterior.

The whole exterior looked like it was made from three parts, I think they designed it like this to make it look less boxy, but it was actually only two piece that were attached together by screws and ridges that went together like a puzzle.

Hi! My name is Pantea. I’m originally from Tehran, Iran, and I have lived in Philadelphia for 3 years before I join PoD. I studied Architecture, and have been working in textile deign for the past two years. I’m excited to make cool stuff during this course as well as finally learning how to code!